<\v/ 1 Cove -Y U/6-V?v . 1 7 Juggling new chiropractic practice, family is easier when you're the boss: TYacy Bray By Henry Bury The Intelligencer Dr. Tracy Bray knew early on that she wanted acareer where she could help people feel goodand enjoy a better quality of life. So she followed in the footsteps of her uncle and cousins and became a doctor of chiropractic medicine. For the past year, she has been operating her own chiropractic practice at the Family Life Health Centre on Bridge Street East. "I wouldn't want to be doing something else with my life because I'm helping to improve the quality of people's lives," Bray said. The 36-year-old single mom said she is fortunate to do something she loves. "That allows me to spend more time with my three- and-a-half year old daughter, Anntssa, including going on school trips with her. Juggling work and family is easier working for yourself," Bray said. The Ann Street resident and daughter of retired teachers Doug and Sue Bray was in Grade 10 at Nicholson Catholic College when she decided she wanted to be a doctor. "I like finding a source of the problem and then establishing a treatment plan to eliminate the prob- lem," she said. After earning her Bachelor of Science degree with Honours in psychology and biology in 1992, Bray travelled and worked around Europe and North America for a couple of years. While on a trip to Chicago with a chiropractor friend, Bray toured the National College of Chiropractic, now called the National University of Health Sciences. She liked what she saw and enrolled in the second chiropractic school established in North America. "It was a medically-based school, complete with an MRI on campus, radiology and orthopedic department and most of the teachers had their PhDs in everything from pathology to physiology. It remains a leading influence in chiropractic medicine," she said. She graduated in April of 1999 after four years of non-stop studies, including one year of clinical prac- tice. She jumped into an established practice in a northern Chicago suburb, filling in on a maternity leave. Then Bray embarked on a two-year travelling prac- tice in Chicago, treating employees of large firms right in their workplaces. -- continued on c